Spare Parts
by outerelf
Summary: Why is Red Alert so certain that they'll sell him for spare parts? Well, something like this once happened to him... T to be safe.


Ummm, what can I say? I got into a writing fit today, and I posted it up.

Acid dripped somewhere, echoing loudly in his auditory receptors. He ignored it as he dragged himself along. He was nearly dead, without a doubt, he _should_ be dead. But his spark pulsed stubbornly, and he refused to give up and die. He pulled himself painfully to his feet, and heard the roar of neutrals behind him.

For a moment he thought they would find him, but the pounding feet passed by. He staggered onwards, unable to concentrate on anything more then the soft steady drip of acid, although it seemed a lot more like energon…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Inferno barely missed the arm that lashed out as Red alert struggled in his nightmare. Inferno groaned, wondering what had tipped Red Alert off the deep end this time. Quietly he placed a hand on Red Alerts shoulder, and flinched back slightly as Red Alert shouted, "No, I won't allow you to sell me for spare parts! I trusted you!"

A cold chill over-took Inferno as he stared at his thrashing partner. Then swiftly he gathered Red Alert close, murmuring softly, "Shhh, it's Ok Red. It's Ok. It's me, Inferno."

Red Alerts desperate thrashing slowed, as he asked slowly, "In…fer…no?"

Inferno nodded mutely, and Red Alert's optics onlined at last, as he turned to look at the worried fire-truck. "Oh, Inferno, did I wake you up again?"

Inferno nodded, but said nothing. Red Alert sighed, sinking slowly into the tight embrace.

While many of the mechs didn't know it, most nights were spent soothing Red Alerts nightmares. Infernos also, for being a search and rescue team meant that they saw some very cold things, and never were they good.

Inferno had lost count of the times he had seen the struggles of a long, painful death. Just as Red Alert had forgotten how many times he had had to 'mercy shoot' those who wouldn't be able to survive, to end their pain. Inferno could never bring himself to pull the trigger.

Red Alert mumbled, "What was it this time?"

"Something about spare parts Red."

"Ah, her."

"What's the story behind that Red? You never told it to me before."

Red alert cleared his throat awkwardly, sighing. "It started out a long time ago…"

_Red Alert finished the final touches to the camera, when a shadow appeared above him. Suspicious, he squinted up, looking at the shadow. It was a femme, a jet femme. Her paint job was a soothing creamy white, with azure lining. She smiled at him, saying, "Are you Red Alert?"_

Red Alert paused, sighing. "It took her several months to convince me that she was an ok mech, just a neutral."

He fell silent, brooding. Inferno allowed the silence to stretch for several minutes, before he became impatient. "And then?"

"Then, oh then…"

_The femme walked in, grinning. Red Alert glanced up as she leaned across the console booth. "Red Alert, guess what!" Without waiting for a reply, she said, "My creators are having a family reunion. We were told to bring one friend each. Will you come?"_

_Red Alert nodded, gaze flickering back to the screen she was half-covering. "If your family will have me."_

_He didn't see the odd smile that stretched across her face or hear the odd note in her voice as she said, "Oh, don't worry, you'll be having fun in no time."_

Red Alert snorted bitterly at the memory. "Like a fool I went. And when I got their, there were plenty of mechs, some that I had seen from other bases, so I though that I would be safe. But, just before dinner…"

_The mech stood up at the center of the table. "Now, before we dine on this energon, I propose a little game. In the other room, I have hidden a special item. It's well hidden, but you'll recognize it the instant you see it. Whoever can find it first can win a single favor from any of the family."_

_Red Alert frowned slightly, but he entered into the other room, along with the other five mechs. He froze as he saw the holding irons, and he backed up. Disbelieving optics took in the dismantled mechs that had been taken apart still alive for their parts. He managed to get halfway out of the door, before it slammed shut, cutting his right foot cleanly in half. He screamed in pain, and staggered back._

_The family that had been right behind him begun scrambling for weapons as Red Alert fled into the night, glitch taking over and commanding him to run. A shot buried itself into his arms, and one slammed into his legs. Despite the energon that dripped down, and the screaming pain, Red Alert fled into the night._

Inferno stared at Red Alert, who scowled darkly. "I could never bring myself to trust another neutral after that." Red alert said softly. "The worst part of it, was that I didn't get back in time to save the other four mechs. I came in, just as the last of them died. They shut down the operation, but kept it silent. They were labeled as KIA."

Inferno nodded, arms tightening around Red Alert at the thought of the near miss. "You were lucky that night. That they didn't catch you."

Red Alert nodded, and he ventilated air loudly. The two fell asleep listening to the beating of each others spark.

SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs

...can I just say that I'm in a very angsty mood? Their's no, or hardly any humor here.


End file.
